PRESS RELEASE
17 July 2018
Three new faces at Friends of the Family
Friends of the Family has welcomed three new volunteers who have recently trained to become befrienders with the charity’s 5s to 13s befriending service. All from Winchester, the new volunteers have backgrounds in family and child support and are keen to use their experience to benefit children in the local area.
The June training course gave the volunteers an in-depth understanding of the befriending role and the benefits of the befriending service to both the child and the child’s family. Topics covered included: safeguarding, confidentiality, boundaries and communication skills. Participants were also able to meet one of the charity’s current volunteers, Sally Falconer, who gave an in-depth insight into the role and talked about the variety of activities she undertakes with the child she befriends.
Commenting on why she applied for the course, Katherine New, who has over 30 years’ experience in childcare said: “I was very keen to do some volunteer work alongside my current job and I was particularly interested in volunteering with children. This role seemed perfect as it will enable me to use my experience to support a local family and it fits in with my work commitments.”
Sam Hunt, 5s to 13s Befriending Manager, said: “We are very lucky to have three new volunteers who all have extensive experience of supporting children and families. They will be a huge asset to our charity and a great addition to our volunteer befriending team.”
Friends of the Family is running its next befriender training course in October. To find out more, email volunteer@fotfwinchester.org or tel 01962 864466.
ENDS
Photo attached: The three new volunteer befrienders (seated) pictured with Sam Hunt (right) and current volunteer Sally Falconer (left).
For further information please contact: Lisa Travers, Volunteer Recruitment Co-ordinator, Tel: 01962 864466 / Email: lisa@fotfwinchester.org
Notes to the Editor:
About Friends of the Family:
Friends of the Family is an independent, registered charity established in 1993. We offer confidential support to families in Winchester and surrounding villages who are experiencing challenges and are in need of help and advice. Our services include:
i. Mums and Under 5s – A support group offering mums with pre-school aged children a safe, confidential environment in which to share issues they are facing with each other and a psychotherapist, whilst children are supervised by a trained play leader and volunteers
ii. Support for Dads – A one-to-one counselling support service for men offering reassurance to those who are struggling with their role as a parent and experiencing challenges within their family environment.
iii. 5s to13s Befriending – A befriending service for families with children aged 5 to 13 who are facing challenging circumstances.
We are funded through the generous donations of our members and supporters, local fundraising activities and a small number of grants. The charity is predominantly staffed by volunteers. Without them, we could not support the growing number of families in the local area that seek our help.
Lisa Travers
Volunteer Recruitment Co-ordinator